Technically, Israel has not attacked Syria. The airstrike was just within the Lebanese borders. But there is no doubt that this must be considered an escalation of the hostilities, aimed at Syria.
Will the Syrians retaliate?
Was this move at the behest of the US, which would love nothing more than to get into a shooting war with Syria?
From al-Jazeera:
http://english.aljazeera.net/...
An Israeli missile strike has hit the main Lebanese border crossing into Syria, forcing its closure for the first time in the 18-day-old conflict.
Jets fired three missiles at the Masnaa crossing, which lies about 300 metres beyond a Lebanese customs post.
The area is considered to be part of Lebanese territory.
...
The passage has been an escape route for tens of thousands of Lebanese, who fled by land to Syria after Israel bombed Beirut airport in the first days of fighting.
It was also a gateway for humanitarian aid entering the country.
From Ha'aretz: http://www.haaretz.com/...
An Israel Air Force air strike closed Lebanon's main crossing point to Syria on Saturday for the first time since the start of the war between Israel and Hizbollah, security sources said.
Three air strikes hit the road between Lebanese and Syrian immigration offices at Masnaa area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, approximately 1 km inland on the Lebanese side of the border, they said. There were no
casualties.
Traffic on the border had been interrupted by IAF attacks nearby, but it was the first time it had been declared closed in the 18-day Israeli onslaught in Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had struck the road to cut arms supply routes from Syria to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
"The military attacked the road from Lebanon to Syria to prevent the smuggling of weapons," an IDF spokeswoman said.
An IDF officer said early Sunday that despite continued arms smuggling from Syria to Lebanon, Israel has no plans of attacking Syria, Israel Radion reported